{{Short description|Finnish ice hockey player (born 2002)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=March 2020}} {{Infobox ice hockey biography | image = | image_size = | alt = | caption = | birth_date = {{birth date and age|2002|07|08|df=yes}} | birth_place = Riihimäki, Finland | death_date = | death_place = | height_m = 1.73 | weight_kg = 63 | position = Defense | shoots = Right | league = SDHL | team = Frölunda HC | former_teams = {{ubl|KalPa Kuopio|Kiekko-Espoo|Team Kuortane}} | played_for = | sex = f | ntl_team = FIN | career_start = 2017 | career_end = | website = | medaltemplates = {{MedalCompetition|Olympic Games}} {{MedalBronze|2022 Beijing|Ice hockey}} {{MedalCompetition|World Championship}} {{MedalBronze|2024 United States|}} {{MedalBronze|2025 Czechia|}} }} '''Sanni Rantala''' (born 8 July 2002) is a Finnish ice hockey player for Frölunda HC of the Swedish Women's Hockey League (SDHL) and a member of the Finnish national team.
Rantala won bronze medals in the women's ice hockey tournament at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing and at the 2024 IIHF Women's World Championship in Utica, New York.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Beijing 2022 – Athletes: Sanni RANTALA, Ice Hockey |url=https://olympics.com/beijing-2022/olympic-games/en/results/ice-hockey/athlete-profile-n1035631-sanni-rantala.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220217163247/https://olympics.com/beijing-2022/olympic-games/en/results/ice-hockey/athlete-profile-n1035631-sanni-rantala.htm |archive-date=2022-02-17 |access-date=2022-02-17 |website=Olympics.com}}</ref>
==Playing career== ===Naisten Liiga=== Rantala made her senior club debut with Team Kuortane in the 2017–18 season of the Finnish Naisten Liiga (NSML). Her rookie season was capped by Team Kuortane winning Finnish Championship (SM) bronze in the 2018 playoffs, the first SM medal in team history.<ref name="estola20201015">{{cite news |last1=Estola-Haaranen |first1=Kaisa |title=Riihimäkeläispuolustajan kausi ohi ennen kuin se ehti alkaakaan – edessä kahdeksan kuukauden kuntoutus |url=https://www.aamuposti.fi/urheilu/3136211 |access-date=16 April 2024 |work=Aamuposti |date=15 October 2020 |language=fi}}</ref>
After four seasons with Team Kuortane, she joined Kiekko-Espoo for the 2021–22 season and won the Aurora Borealis Cup in that season's playoffs. The 2021–22 season marked the first instance of her career in which she averaged more than a point per game (25 points/21 games=1.19) across the regular season and was highlighted by her selection to the Naisten Liiga All-Star First Team.<ref name="mennander20220613">{{cite web |last1=Mennander |first1=Pasi |title=Naisten Liigan kauden 2021–22 palkitut pelaajat ja tähtikentät |url=https://www.leijonat.fi/index.php/sarjat/naisten-liiga/kausi-2021-22/item/43047-naisten-liigan-kauden-2021-22-palkitut-pelaajat-ja-taehtikentaet |website=Finnish Ice Hockey Association |access-date=2024-02-23 |language=fi-fi |date=2022-06-13}}</ref>
Ahead of the 2022–23 season, Rantala left Kiekko-Espoo to sign with KalPa.<ref name="seppä20220718">{{Cite web |last=Seppä |first=Lassi |date=2022-07-18 |title=Naisleijonien nuori puolustaja Sanni Rantala tulee KalPan takalinjoille − myös Makkosen siskokset Kuopioon |url=https://www.jatkoaika.com/Uutiset/Naisleijonien-nuori-puolustaja-Sanni-Rantala-tulee-KalPan-takalinjoille-%E2%88%92-my%C3%B6s-Makkosen-siskokset-Kuopioon/242846 |access-date=2022-07-19 |website=Jatkoaika |language=fi |archive-date=18 July 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220718193956/https://www.jatkoaika.com/Uutiset/Naisleijonien-nuori-puolustaja-Sanni-Rantala-tulee-KalPan-takalinjoille-%E2%88%92-my%C3%B6s-Makkosen-siskokset-Kuopioon/242846 |url-status=live }}</ref> She led all Naisten Liiga defensemen in assists during the 2022–23 regular season, with 32, and was KalPa's top point-scoring defender, notching 39 points in 30 games. In eight games of the 2023 Aurora Borealis Cup playoffs, she contributed two goals and eight assists to KalPa’s SM bronze medal-winning effort. Her play earned a second selection to the All-Star First Team.<ref name="mennander20230610">{{cite web |last1=Mennander |first1=Pasi |title=Naisten Liigan kauden 2022–23 palkitut pelaajat, valmentajat ja tuomarit |url=https://www.leijonat.fi/index.php/sarjat/naisten-liiga/kausi-2022-23/item/45693-naisten-liigan-kauden-2022-23-palkitut-pelaajat-valmentajat-ja-tuomarit |website=Finnish Ice Hockey Association |access-date=2024-02-23 |language=fi-fi |date=2023-06-10}}</ref>
Rantala was the league's top scoring defenseman in the 2023–24 season, tallying 34 points (13+21) in 30 games, and was selected to the Naisten Liiga All-Star First Team for the third consecutive time.<ref name="löfman20240220">{{cite web |last1=Löfman |first1=Heikki |title=Valmentajien nimeämät All Star -kentälliset ovat nyt selvillä |url=https://www.leijonat.fi/index.php/sarjat/naisten-liiga/kausi-2023-24/item/47019-naisten-liiga-valmentajien-nimeaemaet-all-star-kentaelliset-ovat-nyt-selvillae |website=Finnish Ice Hockey Association |access-date=2024-02-23 |language=fi-fi |date=2024-02-20}}</ref>
===SDHL=== In early April 2024, Frölunda HC announced the signings of Rantala and KalPa teammate Elisa Holopainen for the 2024–25 SDHL season.<ref name="olausson20240402">{{cite news |last1=Olausson |first1=Robin |title=Uppgifter: Frölunda värvar Sanni Rantala och Elisa Holopainen |url=https://hockeysverige.se/2024/04/02/uppgifter-frolunda-varvar-sanni-rantala-och-elisa-holopainen |access-date=16 April 2024 |work=HockeySverige |date=2 April 2024 |language=sv}}</ref>
== International play == Rantala was officially named to the Finnish roster for the 2020 IIHF Women's World Championship on 4 March 2020, before the tournament was cancelled on 7 March 2020 due to public health concerns related to the COVID-19 pandemic.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Malmberg |first=Henna |date=2020-03-04 |title=Naisleijonien MM-joukkue valittu – Sukupolven vaihdos tuo MM-joukkueeseen seitsemän ensikertalaista |url=http://www.leijonat.fi/index.php/maajoukkueet/naisleijonat/2019-20/mm2020/item/37573-naisleijonien-mm-joukkue-valittu-sukupolven-vaihdos-tuo-mm-joukkueeseen-seitseman-ensikertalaista |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201212093535/http://www.leijonat.fi/index.php/maajoukkueet/naisleijonat/2019-20/mm2020/item/37573-naisleijonien-mm-joukkue-valittu-sukupolven-vaihdos-tuo-mm-joukkueeseen-seitseman-ensikertalaista |archive-date=12 December 2020 |access-date=2020-03-05 |website=Finnish Ice Hockey Association |language=fi-fi }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Steiss |first=Adam |date=2020-03-07 |title=Women's Worlds cancelled |url=https://www.iihf.com/en/events/2020/ww/news/18296/women%E2%80%99s-worlds-cancelled |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200307232554/https://www.iihf.com/en/events/2020/ww/news/18296/women%E2%80%99s-worlds-cancelled |archive-date=7 March 2020 |access-date=2020-03-10 |website=International Ice Hockey Federation |language=en }}</ref> She appeared on the national team roster for all four of the tournaments of the 2019–20 Euro Hockey Tour.<ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |date= |title=EHT: 4 Nations Tournament 20.-24.8.2019, FIN: Kokoonpanot |url=http://www.tilastopalvelu.fi/ih/serie/?season=2020&lid=133&did=&stgid=7327#pelaajatilastot |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230207122826/http://tulospalvelu.leijonat.fi/serie/?season=2020&lid=133&did=&stgid=7327&lang=fi#pelaajatilastot |archive-date=7 February 2023 |access-date=2020-03-10 |website=Finnish Ice Hockey Association |language=fi }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |date= |title=5 Nations Tournament 6.-10.11.2019, Dmitrov, RUS: Kokoonpanot |url=http://www.tilastopalvelu.fi/ih/serierosterlist/?stgid=7646&season=2020&tid=683426361&sid=1692&lang=fi&pdf=1 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230207122911/http://www.tilastopalvelu.fi/ih/serierosterlist/?stgid=7646&season=2020&tid=683426361&sid=1692&lang=fi&pdf=1 |archive-date=7 February 2023 |access-date=2020-03-10 |website=Finnish Ice Hockey Association |language=fi }}</ref>
After a knee injury sustained in a preseason game kept her in rehabilitation and off the ice for the entire 2020–21 season,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Viljanen |first=Markus |date=2021-11-06 |title=Puolustajalupaus Sanni Rantala lähestyy huippukuntoa haastavan loukkaantumisen jälkeen |url=https://www.leijonat.fi/index.php/sarjat/naisten-liiga/kausi-2021-22/item/42219-puolustajalupaus-sanni-rantala-laehestyy-huippukuntoa-haastavan-loukkaantumisen-jaelkeen |access-date=2022-07-19 |website=Finnish Ice Hockey Association |language=fi-fi |archive-date=6 July 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220706080444/https://www.leijonat.fi/index.php/sarjat/naisten-liiga/kausi-2021-22/item/42219-puolustajalupaus-sanni-rantala-laehestyy-huippukuntoa-haastavan-loukkaantumisen-jaelkeen |url-status=live }}</ref> the 2022 Winter Olympics served as Rantala's senior-level IIHF debut.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Aykroyd |first=Lucas |date=2022-01-20 |title=Finnish women seek another medal |url=https://www.iihf.com/en/events/2022/olympic-%EF%BD%97/news/31582/finnish_women_seek_another_medal |access-date=2022-07-19 |website=International Ice Hockey Federation |language=en |archive-date=29 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220129042022/https://www.iihf.com/en/events/2022/olympic-%EF%BD%97/news/31582/finnish_women_seek_another_medal |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Estola-Haaranen |first=Kaisa |date=2022-01-21 |title="Moni muukin on sanonut, että olen tosi rauhallinen" – olympialaisiin valittu Sanni Rantala tunnistaa itsensä lehmänhermoinen -luonnehdinnasta |url=https://www.aamuposti.fi/urheilu/4450008 |access-date=2022-07-19 |website=Aamuposti |language=fi |archive-date=19 July 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220719160713/https://www.aamuposti.fi/urheilu/4450008 |url-status=live }}</ref> She played in all seven games and scored two points in the tournament, a goal and an assist, both tallied against the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) during the group stage.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-02-08 |title=Beijing 2022 – Ice Hockey Women: Preliminary round - Group A, Game 20 – Game Summary |url=https://www.iihf.com/pdf/753/ihw753a10_74_4_0 |access-date=2022-07-19 |website=International Ice Hockey Federation |archive-date=5 July 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220705083445/https://www.iihf.com/pdf/753/ihw753a10_74_4_0 |url-status=live }}</ref> Her eight penalty minutes led all Finnish players in the tournament.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-02-16 |title=Beijing 2022 – Ice Hockey Women – Player Statistics by Team: FIN - Finland |url=https://www.iihf.com/pdf/753/ihw7530fin_83_56_0 |access-date=2022-07-19 |website=International Ice Hockey Federation |archive-date=5 July 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220705010346/https://www.iihf.com/pdf/753/ihw7530fin_83_56_0 |url-status=live }}</ref>
On 2 January 2026, she was named to Finland's roster to compete at the 2026 Winter Olympics.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.leijonat.fi/maajoukkueet/naisleijonat/2025-26/ok2026/naisleijonien-olympiajoukkue-valittu-lehterae-meillae-on-mahdollisuus-tehdae-jotain-erityistae |title=Naisleijonien olympiajoukkue valittu – Lehterä: "Meillä on mahdollisuus tehdä jotain erityistä" |website=Finnish Ice Hockey Association |date=2 January 2026 |access-date=2 January 2026 |language=fi}}</ref>
== Career statistics == === International === {| border="0" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="0" style="text-align:center; width:40em" |- ALIGN="centre" bgcolor="#e0e0e0" ! Year !! Team !! Event !! Result ! rowspan="97" bgcolor="#ffffff" | ! GP !! G !! A !! Pts !! PIM |- | 2018 || Finland || U18 || 5th | 5 || 1 || 0 || 1 || 0 |- bgcolor="#f0f0f0" | 2019 || Finland || U18 || {{Bronze3}} | 6 || 1 || 1 || 2 || 2 |- | 2020 || Finland || U18 || 4th | 6 || 2 || 5 || 7 || 2 |- bgcolor="#f0f0f0" | 2022 || {{Nwiht|Finland}} || OG || {{Bronze3}} | 7 || 1 || 1 || 2 || 8 |- | 2022 || Finland || WC || 6th | 7 || 0 || 4 || 4 || 0 |- bgcolor="#f0f0f0" | 2023 || Finland || WC || 5th | 7 || 0 || 5 || 5 || 4 |- | 2024 || Finland || WC || {{Bronze3}} | 7 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 2 |- bgcolor="#f0f0f0" | 2025 || Finland || WC || {{Bronze3}} | 7 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 2 |- bgcolor="#e0e0e0" ! colspan=4|Junior totals ! 17 !! 4 !! 6 !! 10 !! 4 |- bgcolor="#e0e0e0" ! colspan=4|Senior totals ! 35 !! 1 !! 9 !! 10 !! 16 |} {{small|Sources:<ref name="IIHF2020">{{Cite book|title=IIHF Guide & Record Book 2020|publisher=Moydart|year=2019|isbn=9780986796470|editor-last=Podnieks|editor-first=Andrew|location=Toronto|pages=658|chapter=Active Skaters, Women|editor-last2=Nordmark|editor-first2=Birger}}</ref><ref name="2023WC_playerstats">{{cite web |title=2023 IIHF Women's World Championship – Player Statistics by Team: FIN - Finland |url=https://www.iihf.com/pdf/498/ihw4980fin_83_7_0 |website=International Ice Hockey Federation |access-date=2023-04-16 |language=en |date=2023-04-16}}</ref>}}
==Awards and honors== {| class="wikitable" |- ! scope="col" |Award ! scope="col" |{{wrap|Year or period}} |- ! colspan="2" |International |- | World U18 Bronze Medal | 2019 |- | rowspan="2" | World U18 Top-3 Player on Team | 2019<ref name="2019-WC18_top-3">{{cite web |title=2019 IIHF Ice Hockey U18 Women's World Championship – Best Players of Each Team Selected by Coaches |url=https://www.iihf.com/pdf/704/ihw704000_85j_3_0 |website=International Ice Hockey Federation |access-date=16 April 2024 |language=en |date=13 January 2019}}</ref> |- | 2020<ref name="2020-WC18_top-3">{{cite web |title=2020 IIHF Ice Hockey U18 Women's World Championship – Best Players of Each Team Selected by Coaches |url=https://www.iihf.com/pdf/886/ihw886000_85l_3_0 |website=International Ice Hockey Federation |access-date=16 April 2024 |language=en |date=1 January 2020}}</ref> |- | World U18 Media All-Star | 2020<ref name="2020-WC18_all-star">{{cite web |title=2020 IIHF Ice Hockey U18 Women's World Championship – Media All Stars |url=https://www.iihf.com/pdf/886/ihw886000_98_1_0 |website=International Ice Hockey Federation |access-date=16 April 2024 |language=en |date=2 January 2020}}</ref> |- | Olympic Bronze Medal | 2022 |- | World Championship Bronze Medal | 2024, 2025 |- ! colspan="2"|Naisten Liiga |- | rowspan="3" | Finnish Championship Bronze Medal | 2018 |- | 2023 |- | 2024 |- | rowspan="3" | All-Star First Team | 2021–22 |- | 2022–23 |- | 2023–24 |- | Aurora Borealis Cup Champion | 2022 |}
== References == {{reflist}}
== External links == * {{Ice hockey stats}} * [https://www.olympics.com/en/milano-cortina-2026/results/athlete-details/45549 Sanni Rantala] at Milano Cortina 2026 * {{Olympics.com}} * {{Olympedia}} * {{InterSportStats}} * {{Olympiakomitea.fi}} * {{Instagram}}<!-- per WP:ELMINOFFICIAL, choose one official website only -->
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rantala, Sanni}} Category:2002 births Category:Living people Category:Finnish women's ice hockey defencemen Category:Ice hockey players at the 2022 Winter Olympics Category:Ice hockey players at the 2026 Winter Olympics Category:KalPa Naiset players Category:Kiekko-Espoo Naiset players Category:Medalists at the 2022 Winter Olympics Category:Olympic bronze medalists for Finland Category:Olympic ice hockey players for Finland Category:Olympic medalists in ice hockey Category:Sportspeople from Riihimäki Category:Ice hockey people from Kanta-Häme Category:Team Kuortane players Category:21st-century Finnish sportswomen